Brief
9‑year‑old Iya Thompson interviews Beaches‑East York mayoral hopefuls
Iya Thompson’s kid‑run show asks each candidate the same questions to help voters understand the race.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Toronto’s municipal election on Oct. 26 will include a unique interview series run by nine‑year‑old Iya Thompson, who has spoken with all 13 candidates running in the Beaches‑East York ward. The young presenter says the project began as a backyard activity with her father and has grown into a widely‑followed Instagram and YouTube show called “Iya on Toronto.”
What happened
According to CityNews, Iya began interviewing candidates during the campaign to simplify the flood of promises and slogans that can confuse voters. She asks each hopeful the same set of questions, such as their favourite place in the ward and what they view as the city’s biggest issues. So far, interviewees have highlighted traffic and road conditions, and many have named the beach as their favourite local spot.
What the reports add
The article notes that Iya’s audience has already reached “hundreds of followers” online, and that her platform is now attracting interest beyond the Beaches‑East York ward. Her father, Steve Thompson, said city‑wide council hopefuls and school‑board trustees have approached the duo for interviews, expanding the reach of the project across Toronto.
What was said
“Government matters a lot, it’s very important and… not many people vote,” Iya told CityNews about why she started the show.
Steve Thompson added, “It’s been a fantastic father‑daughter project and sort of what started as just a small thing in our backyard and in the local parks has blossomed into something a lot bigger than we thought.” He also said, “We’ve had a lot of school trustees and other candidates reach out looking for interviews as well from wards all over the city.”
How it came about
The initiative grew from a simple desire to understand how municipal government works. By using social‑media platforms, Iya is learning about city operations while providing a public‑service tool for voters who will cast ballots on Oct. 26.
Key facts
- Iya Thompson, age nine, has interviewed all 13 Beaches‑East York candidates. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- The interviews are posted on Instagram and YouTube under the show “Iya on Toronto.” (toronto.citynews.ca)
- Candidates cited roads, traffic and the beach as key local issues. (toronto.citynews.ca)
- Steve Thompson says city‑wide candidates and school trustees have requested interviews. (toronto.citynews.ca)
Sources
- [1] toronto.citynews.ca — originally reported as “From the mouths of babes: 9-year-old interviews candidates to educate public about municipal election”
